Umbilical cord blood donation in Taiwan: Public interest in a bluff package
作者:
謝幸燕(義守大學醫務管理學系助理教授)
鄭惠珠(義守大學醫務管理學系副教授)
Hsing-Yen Hsieh (Assistant professor, Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University)
Huei-chu Cheng (Associate professor, Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University)
作者:
謝幸燕(義守大學醫務管理學系助理教授)
鄭惠珠(義守大學醫務管理學系副教授)
Hsing-Yen Hsieh (Assistant professor, Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University)
Huei-chu Cheng (Associate professor, Department of Healthcare Administration, I-Shou University)
摘要(ABSTRACT)
--臍帶血內的造血幹細胞移植是近年來醫學界寄予厚望的新科技,有希望取代傳統的骨髓移植,給病患更多的治癒機會。許多國家為了病患權益,除了民營臍帶銀行外,都會以公益方式,建立開放配對平臺,以協助民眾醫療需求。本研究試圖瞭解臺灣臍帶血捐贈在公益與民營模式並存下的運作情形,分析臍帶血公益捐贈的內在結構,進而瞭解此一龐大醫療事業是否真的有利於民眾的醫療需求。
我們追蹤了3家公益臍帶血捐贈機構及8家民營臍帶血銀行,長期觀察網路上的資訊及運作模式。臺灣3家公益捐贈機構因為下列理由在2004至2009年間陸續停止捐贈,理由包括:花費成本太高、需要者少、使用率低。最大一家公益機構儲存一萬多筆臍帶血,並稱數量已足夠配對。臺灣另外8家民營臍帶血銀行,民眾必需自付5至10萬(約1,700-3,300美元)的保存費用。在自付的前提下,民營機構願意讓民眾捐贈與保存,其背後原因在於捐越多、配對成功機率越高。雖然捐贈方認為是公益與捐贈,但是需求方實際上則是付得起的客戶為優先。不同組織供給與需求之間不平衡的發展趨勢,加深了貧富間在新科技治療疾病的不平等關係。
In recent years the medical profession placed great hopes in the new techniques of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation promising to replace the traditional bone marrow transplant and give patients more opportunities for remedy. Besides the private umbilical cord banks public match platforms are set up in many countries to assist the medical demands of the population. This research focuses on the system of umbilical cord blood donations in Taiwan, the public and private modes of its operation and the analysis of the internal structures of these charity collections. We looked at 3 non-profit cord blood donation agencies and 8 private umbilical cord blood banks by collecting online-information concerning their mode of operations. From 2004 until 2009 3 non-profit donor agencies in Taiwan included in our study gradually stopped receiving donations for the following reasons: high expenditure, less demand and a low matching success rate. The largest institution stored more than 10,000 cord blood donations, and declared that this quantity met their initial target. For the recipient a bag of 25cc concentrated umbilical cord blood costs about 10,000 US dollars. The eight other private cord blood banks charge 1,700 to 3,300 US dollars from the donators to cover the storage costs. Private cord blood banks are eager to encourage people to “donate” and store their cord blood. They argue that more donations increase the matching success rate. Conclusion: Although preserving cord blood is considered as a matter for public benefit, the priority of the demand side tends to favor the affordable customer. A development towards an imbalance between non-profit and private donor institutions has deepened the inequalities between rich and poor when it comes to apply this new technique for curing diseases.
我們追蹤了3家公益臍帶血捐贈機構及8家民營臍帶血銀行,長期觀察網路上的資訊及運作模式。臺灣3家公益捐贈機構因為下列理由在2004至2009年間陸續停止捐贈,理由包括:花費成本太高、需要者少、使用率低。最大一家公益機構儲存一萬多筆臍帶血,並稱數量已足夠配對。臺灣另外8家民營臍帶血銀行,民眾必需自付5至10萬(約1,700-3,300美元)的保存費用。在自付的前提下,民營機構願意讓民眾捐贈與保存,其背後原因在於捐越多、配對成功機率越高。雖然捐贈方認為是公益與捐贈,但是需求方實際上則是付得起的客戶為優先。不同組織供給與需求之間不平衡的發展趨勢,加深了貧富間在新科技治療疾病的不平等關係。
In recent years the medical profession placed great hopes in the new techniques of umbilical cord blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation promising to replace the traditional bone marrow transplant and give patients more opportunities for remedy. Besides the private umbilical cord banks public match platforms are set up in many countries to assist the medical demands of the population. This research focuses on the system of umbilical cord blood donations in Taiwan, the public and private modes of its operation and the analysis of the internal structures of these charity collections. We looked at 3 non-profit cord blood donation agencies and 8 private umbilical cord blood banks by collecting online-information concerning their mode of operations. From 2004 until 2009 3 non-profit donor agencies in Taiwan included in our study gradually stopped receiving donations for the following reasons: high expenditure, less demand and a low matching success rate. The largest institution stored more than 10,000 cord blood donations, and declared that this quantity met their initial target. For the recipient a bag of 25cc concentrated umbilical cord blood costs about 10,000 US dollars. The eight other private cord blood banks charge 1,700 to 3,300 US dollars from the donators to cover the storage costs. Private cord blood banks are eager to encourage people to “donate” and store their cord blood. They argue that more donations increase the matching success rate. Conclusion: Although preserving cord blood is considered as a matter for public benefit, the priority of the demand side tends to favor the affordable customer. A development towards an imbalance between non-profit and private donor institutions has deepened the inequalities between rich and poor when it comes to apply this new technique for curing diseases.
關鍵字(KEYWORD)
臍帶血 | 公益 | 新醫療科技 | 健康不平等
cord blood | public interest | new medical technology | health inequality
臍帶血 | 公益 | 新醫療科技 | 健康不平等
cord blood | public interest | new medical technology | health inequality
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